Sonraí: Irish Data Stewardship Network

In 2022, the Higher Education Authority funded key initiatives identified by Ireland’s National Open Research Forum to advance Open Research. The Open Research Fund call that year supported six priority actions from Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030, including the establishment of a national data stewardship network—Sonraí Irish Data Stewardship Network. Sonraí fosters data stewardship skills across Ireland’s research landscape by raising the profile of data stewards, advocating for their role, and supporting professionalisation, skills development, and knowledge sharing. Strengthening these capabilities ensures the curation, preservation, and dissemination of national data assets and the continued growth of Ireland’s FAIR data landscape. Over the past two years, we have built a community of data professionals through outreach and engagement, identified their needs, and published key reports on professionalisation and training. In 2025, Sonraí is transitioning from a funded project to a core part of national open research infrastructure. With a new committee and steering group, our first initiative is developing a microcredential in data stewardship as the foundation of a learning pathway. https://datastewards.ie/